The Fifty Four
by pink-werewolf
Summary: spoilers Fifty Four good people died during the Battle of Hogwarts. Why did they fight? How did they die?


A/N: So I was thinking about the 54 good people who died at the Battle of Hogwarts and somehow I got this. It started as short drabbles as to why they stayed (or showed up) and their deaths, but grew into something more. So far I have this one chapter, which is more like a one shot. The story, at least this chapter, ended up revolving around the characteristics of the houses and why people end up in the house they do, as I was thinking about Dumbledore's comment "Sometimes I think we sort too early." And my own experience of taking sorting hat quizzes and being sorted into Hufflepuff (yea I know, a bit pathetic for taking quizzes, not for the house.) So now on with the story.

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter otherwise 4 of these 54 would be alive.

The Fifty Four:

Chapter 1: Courage

Samantha Bell, more commonly known as Sam, was a coward in the most literal way. When her family went to Muggle amusement parks she was scared of the roller coasters. The one time her father brought her on a plane she cried for an hour, scared she would die, until she finally fell asleep. She never stood up for herself, hardly ever did anything rashly, and didn't have tons of friends, too scared of rejection. Her older sister Katie was convinced she'd be in Gryffindor; there entire family had been in Gryffindor and Katie was the adventurous type, so it seemed logical. When Katie entered Hogwarts two years before Sam and was sorted into Gryffindor her family was ecstatic. Sam felt horrible knowing she could not live up to her sister's brave standards.

Sam often wondered what house she would be sorted into. She figured with any luck she would be in Ravenclaw. Her parents had sent her to Muggle school (her Muggle-born father thought that this education was essential) and she had always been the top in her class, so she thought that would work for her. She didn't think she had a chance at Slytherin thanks to aforementioned Muggle born father. But she wasn't interested in the Dark arts so she didn't particularly mind that either. She assumed if she didn't get into Ravenclaw she'd be in Hufflepuff, which wouldn't be _so_ bad, but more than anything she was afraid she would disappoint her parents. She voiced this concern to her mother who reassured her it didn't matter what house she was in; she would still always be Sam. However, she wasn't completely convinced.

The day she was to board the train she was more afraid than she'd ever been in her life. She had planned to follow her sister, but somehow she managed to disappear. Shaking, she boarded the train alone and sat in a compartment with a few other girls. Here Sam actually found some luck.

"Hello," said one very dignified girl ", I'm Romilda Vane." Sam and the two other girls introduced themselves. Romilda started babbling on about how worried she was and Sam was grateful; not only did Romilda not expect you to converse, but she was worried too. The quiet and cowardly Sam was thankful to be able to concentrate on someone else's problems for a change.

By the time they left the train the two were friends, though Sam wasn't sure she had a choice in the matter. They got in one of the boats together, both of them visibly scared as they approached the impending castle. Sam was scared enough between the near sorting and the giant man they were with, but then she saw tentacles in the water and nearly passed out. Yes, she would definitely not be in Gryffindor.

Sam felt extremely self conscience as she walked into the Great Hall with her fellow first years. Luckily, Bell was near the beginning of the alphabet, so she wouldn't have to wait too long. She was glad she wasn't Romilda; she wasn't sure she could wait that long. However she glanced at her friend and she seemed thoroughly composed, all the early jitters gone. Sam wished she could say the same thing about herself.

After two people were sorted (Slytherin and Hufflepuff) McGonagall called "Bell, Samantha". Sam slowly approached the stool, and almost tripped, that's how badly she was shaking. A few people looked at her oddly but she sat down and only a few seconds after the sorting hat touched her head did it yell ", Gryffindor!"

Stumbling, Sam hurried over to the cheering Gryffindors, completely and utterly shocked. She sat down next to her sister, who patted her on the back, and she stared at the rest of the ceremony, unable to truly think. It wasn't until later that night when she lied in her bed that she truly convinced herself there had been some mistake. Maybe it thought she was her sister, or just assumed she would be like her family without really looking at her. She knew she didn't belong.

!#$&()

Throughout her entire Hogwarts career Sam was convinced she did not belong in Gryffindor. She wanted to go up to Dumbledore and ask if she could be resorted, but she did not have the courage to do so. She never broke rules, always had good grades, and had a good amount of friends, but she still felt like she didn't belong. It was odd; most people didn't take their house qualities that seriously, but she did.

During her fourth year the school was under Umbridge's reign of terror and Ginny Weasley mentioned to her something about defense lessons with Harry Potter. It sounded like a good idea, but she was afraid. She didn't want to get in trouble; she couldn't. So she did not go to the meeting. Later she was thankful when they all got caught. But then her sixth year came around.

The school was in literal chaos. On the surface it was running smoother than ever, but rebellion was running in the veins of most of the students and teachers. Dumbledore's Army was at the forefront. Sam wanted to do something; her father was forced to go on the run because he was Muggleborn. She wanted to be apart of the rebellion but didn't know how. So she kept quiet and went along with it all.

Then one day she had a conversation with Romilda that changed everything. They had been sitting in their dorm; it was a day before Christmas break. They'd both been packing when Romilda suddenly exclaimed ", I don't understand you!" Sam looked at her, not understanding.

"We've been friends since first year," Romilda began ", and I feel like you haven't changed at all. You're so scared of everything. When you were little it was simple things, spiders, roller coasters, heights. But now it's bigger than that. You're afraid to love; you break up with every boy before you can. You're afraid to get in trouble, done every assignment since first year. You're afraid to speak up; the school's in chaos and you sit around like nothings happening! You're so afraid that you're not living! You're afraid to live! You're afraid you'll get hurt! Everyone dies, but not everyone lives."

Sam stared at her. "How dare you," she said ", my dad is on the run! I don't even know if he's alive. I'm trying to behave so my mom doesn't have to worry about me too. The only reason I'm not on the run too is because my mom thinks I'm safer here. But I AM afraid, afraid things are never going to change."

"Then why don't you do something!" Romilda yelled. They sat in silence for a long time, just packing. Eventually Sam started sobbing. "Listen," Romilda said softly, walking over to her friend and sitting down next to her on the bed ", I'm sorry. I was out of line. You're not…"

"No," Sam said ", you're completely right. Don't apologize. But I'm…I'm going to do something about it."

"My mom," Romilda said softly, on the verge of tears ", isn't going to let me come back." Sam gasped. "She wants us to go into hiding. I think it's crazy, but I can't do anything. _I'm scared._" Sam hugged her friend.

"You'll be fine," Sam said. It was then that she knew what she had to do.

!#$&()

During the holiday Sam spent most of her time in her family's library looking for defensive books. Then she spent hours disguising them as magazines and novels. She read some of the more important ones, _Advanced Defense Magic, Saving Your Skin, Beating Dark Magic for Dummies, Everything You Need to Know About Defense Against the Dark Arts_, among others. She even found a book of Muggle martial arts that looked helpful.

Back at school she noticed a road block in her plan: she had no one to practice with now that Romilda was gone. She regretted not joining the DA more and more every day. She knew a lot of them were hiding in the castle now that Luna Lovegood had been kidnapped, but she couldn't even talk to Ginny for her parents hadn't sent her back to school.

The only thing Sam could practice was a patronus charm. She managed a small silver mist, but not much more. She tried and tried, but just couldn't get it. She tried different memories, going to Hogwarts, riding a bike, Christmas, but nothing worked. And then she thought of something else. Something that had never happened, but she hoped would. She thought of her surrounded with others, fighting death Eaters. A bit cheesy, but hey, if it worked…

Closing her eyes she whispered ", Expecto Patronum." Out of her wand leapt a magnificent lion. It barreled across the room and turned to stare at her. Then it bolted out of the window.

Maybe she did belong in Gryffindor after all.

!#$&()

On her seventeenth birthday that January, brilliance struck. Some could term it as "inhuman", but desperate times called for desperate measures. Alone in the dorm she yelled ", Wigglepuff!" Immediately a small house elf appeared, her house elf. Well not really, she was house elf who worked at Hogwarts who had taken a liking to Sam the time Wigglepuff had fallen asleep in the common room and Sam had returned her to the kitchen. When Sam proposed her idea to her, W.P. nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Hows about Wigglepuff shows Samantha a special room where other people hide instead?" Sam thought about that. She followed Wigglepuff to the room of requirement where she found the DA, who greeted her with open arms. 

!#$&()

Then came that fateful night. Harry came back and Voldemort was coming. The entire school, Order of the Phoenix, and many alumni, including Sam's sister Katie, were packed into the Great Hall. There was an anxious feeling spreading across the Hall, fear mixed in with excitement. McGonagall said that those of age could stay and Sam knew she would. And when Pansy Parkinson wanted to turn Harry in, Sam was the first to stand. She was going to stand up for something, finally.

Sam was to be in one of the first groups on the grounds. They were lead by Remus Lupin, her former DADA teacher. She'd always liked him; he was a great teacher. He looked older, but happier, even in this frightening situation. She'd heard he was married with a kid; she hoped it was true, he deserved happiness. She felt safer with him there.

And then the Death Eaters came. Sam gallantly fought, but the truth was, she had little clue as to what she was doing. She and two other battled a giant Death Eater with blonde hair. He dodged most of their jinxes and left a gash in Sam's leg that hurt badly. And then Sam saw a flash of green and it was all over.

Her epitaph read "A True Gryffindor".

A/N: So??? Originally this was just going to be a drabble, but I kind of fell in love with her. It was odd though, I basically made a character just to kill her. If I continue the rest will probably be drabbles, 100 words each. Except for the last four, which will get longer ones. So please R&R.


End file.
